PirateBox explained

PirateBox
Introduced:	2011
Discontinued:	2019
Language:	English

A PirateBox is a portable electronic device, often consisting of a Wi-Fi router and a device for storing information, creating a wireless network that allows users who are connected to share files anonymously and locally.^[1] By design, this device is disconnected from the Internet.

The PirateBox was originally designed to exchange data freely under the public domain or under a free license.

History

The PirateBox was designed in 2011 by David Darts, a professor at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University under Free Art License. It has since become highly popular in Western Europe, particularly in France by Jean Debaecker, and its development is largely maintained by Matthias Strubel. The usage of the PirateBox-Concept turns slowly away from common local filesharing to purposes in education, concerning public schools^[2] or private events like CryptoParties,^[3] a crucial point also being circumvention of censorship^[4] since it can be operated behind strong physical barriers.

On 17 November 2019, Matthias Strubel announced the closure of the Pirate Box project, citing more routers having locked firmware and browsers forcing https.^[5]

Set up

As of version 1.0, there is an improved installation path, with only a few steps followed by an automatic install.^[6]

Raspberry Pi Setup

The PirateBox can be set up in Raspberry Pi. The steps can be followed in the reference article.^[7]

Uses

Users connect to the PirateBox via Wi-Fi (using a laptop, for example) without having to learn the password. They can then access the local web page of the PirateBox to download or upload files, or access an anonymous chat room or forum. All such data exchanges are confined to the PirateBox's local network and are not connected to the Internet.^[8]

Several educational projects use the devices to deliver content to students allowing them to share by chat or forum. The PirateBox is also used in places where Internet access is rare or impractical.

Devices which can be converted to a PirateBox

• Android (v2.3+) devices: unofficial porting allowing to run a PirateBox on some rooted Android devices (example: smartphone and tablet computer).^[9] PirateBox for Android is available from Google Play (since June 2014).^[10]
• PirateBox Live USB: allows one to turn a computer temporarily into a PirateBox^[11]
• Raspberry Pi^[12]
• Chip^[13]

Wi-Fi routers

Not an exhaustive list:

• TP-Link MR3020 – the first device modified by Darts^[14]
• TP-Link MR3040^[15]
• Zsun WiFi Card Reader - hacked by installing OpenWRT,^[16] and there are efforts to produce easy installation instructions for PirateBox on this device.^[17]

The PirateBox official wiki has an up-to-date hardware-list of compatible devices.^[18]

See also

• AirDrop
• Nearby Share
• FreedomBox, a project similar to the PirateBox (plug computer version)
• Router (computing)
• Shoutr, a similar Android solution
• Sneakernet
• USB dead drop, a similar concept

External links

• Official Page, official forum
• Linuxjournal.com
• A Pirate Box for Sharing Files
• PirateBox Takes File-Sharing Off The Radar and Offline, For Next To Nothing (TorrentFreak, March 2012)
• PirateBox: an "artistic provocation" in lunchbox form

Notes and References

1. SideFx. 2016. Goldstein. Emmanuel. Eric Corley. The Piratebox. . 33. 3.
2. Web site: https://archive.today/20140106161646/http://aegir.cndp.fr/crdplimousin/ressources/opale/pedagobox/co/piratebox_web.html . 6 January 2014 . Pedagobox ou comment bricoler son serveur de fichier wifi personnel . CRDP de Limoges . 17 May 2019 .
3. Web site: Frankfurt. CryptoParty. Besva.de. 2015-11-01. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040148/http://besva.de/mirror-cryptoparty.org/wiki/Frankfurt.html#Sunday.2C_7th_April_2013. live.
4. Web site: Create your own version of The Pirate Bay. S.. Raghavendra. 26 November 2013. The Hindu. 2015-11-01. 21 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131221103653/http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/create-your-own-version-of-the-pirate-bay/article5390706.ece. live.
5. Web site: Time to say goodbye! . 21 February 2020 . 13 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200513084742/https://forum.piratebox.cc/read.php?9,23070 . live .
6. Web site: openwrt:diy [PIRATEBOX ] |publisher=Piratebox.de |date=2015-08-13 |accessdate=2015-11-01 |archive-date=2 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602042750/http://piratebox.de/openwrt:diy |url-status=live ].
7. Web site: 7 Steps for setting up Pirate box in Raspberry Pi [PIRATEBOX ] |publisher=dynumic.com |author=MathanKumar.P |date=2018-06-25 |accessdate=2018-06-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625161148/https://www.dynumic.com/7-steps-to-create-a-decentralized-network-using-piratebox-beginners-5b2dd688e9edc |archive-date=25 June 2018 |url-status=dead ].
8. Web site: Anderson . Nate . PirateBox: an "artistic provocation" in lunchbox form . Ars Technica . 2011-01-31 . 2015-11-01 . 2 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160802091257/http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/01/piratebox-an-artistic-provocation-in-lunchbox-form/ . live .
9. Web site: Fun2Code: PirateBox . Fun2code-blog.blogspot.de . 2015-11-01 . 10 October 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010134909/http://fun2code-blog.blogspot.de/search/label/PirateBox . live .
10. Web site: PirateBox - Android Apps on Google Play . 2015-11-01 . 19 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140719003119/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.fun2code.android.piratebox&hl=en . live .
11. Web site: Run PirateBox on your Laptop from USB [Linux PirateBoxLive] |publisher=Forum.daviddarts.com |date= |accessdate=2015-11-01 |archive-date=23 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723070502/http://forum.daviddarts.com/read.php?6,3047 |url-status=live ].
12. Web site: raspberry_pi [PIRATEBOX ] |publisher=Piratebox.cc |date=2014-11-22 |accessdate=2015-11-01 |archive-date=25 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625093917/http://piratebox.cc/raspberry_pi |url-status=live ].
13. Web site: ChiPirate-BOX: the chipest and cheapest Pirate-BOX ever - raspibo. www.raspibo.org. 2016-11-23. 23 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161123204123/http://www.raspibo.org/wiki/index.php/ChiPirate-BOX:_the_chipest_and_cheapest_Pirate-BOX_ever. live.
14. Web site: PirateBox DIY – OpenWrt by David Darts . Daviddarts.com . 2015-11-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151011092024/http://daviddarts.com/piratebox-diy-openwrt/ . 11 October 2015 . dead .
15. Web site: openwrt:hardware_firmware_recommendations [Matthias' Piratebox-Scripts] |publisher=Piratebox.aod-rpg.de |date=2014-05-30 |accessdate=2015-11-01 |archive-date=4 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504154138/http://piratebox.aod-rpg.de/dokuwiki/doku.php/openwrt/hardware_firmware_recommendations |url-status=live ].
16. Web site: Hacking the Zsun WiFi SD Card Reader. emeryth. 24 April 2016. Warsaw Hackerspace. 3 November 2016. 29 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161029215219/https://wiki.hackerspace.pl/projects:zsun-wifi-card-reader. live.
17. Web site: https://piratebox.cc/openwrt:zsun?s[=zsun Piratebox on the Zsun ]. Piratebox.cc . 2016-04-29 . 7 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200707194744/https://piratebox.cc/openwrt:zsun?s%5b%5d=zsun . live .
18. Web site: openwrt:hardware [PIRATEBOX ] |publisher=Piratebox.cc |date= |accessdate=2015-11-01 |archive-date=17 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617195708/http://piratebox.cc/openwrt:hardware |url-status=live ].